Welcome to KITCHEN CONCEPTS BLOG! We are located in Hadley, MA, on Rte. 9! We are a kitchen design and cabinet sales company, specializing in new cabinetry, countertops and vanities. Follow us to read about our products, trends and special promotions!

Sunday, August 13, 2017

Welcome!
If you want to know how to get the most out of your galley kitchen remodel, you've come to the right place! Below are some tips to help you improve your galley kitchen and make the most out of the space you have available.

Keep it light. We all know how pleasing a white kitchen is
in any home, but it’s a particularly great choice for a galley kitchen. Keeping
the cabinets and counter tops light-colored will help make your kitchen feel spacious and airy.

Create a work triangle. Due to the small amount of space in a galley kitchen, it's especially important to make sure the layout is functional and suits your needs. Keep in mind the work triangle when
remodeling your kitchen. The work triangle consists of the top three most
utilized spaces in your kitchen, namely the refrigerator, sink, and stove. If
you were to draw straight lines connecting these three areas in your kitchen,
the resulting shape should resemble a triangle.

Smart cabinet storage. Maximizing efficiency is the name of the game in a small kitchen space. Consider ordering custom cabinets for your space so that you can decide exactly what goes where and tailor every inch of your kitchen storage to fit your needs.

Tall cabinets. Choosing tall cabinets that go all the way up
to the ceiling is a great way to utilize every inch of your kitchen! When your cabinets touch the ceiling they can make the kitchen appear larger and ceilings appear taller, which is an added bonus!

Above-cabinet storage.If installing cabinetry that touches the ceiling is not an option, or if you do not like the look of tall cabinetry in your space, you can still utilize the space between the top of the cabinets and ceiling for storage. Consider putting attractive things that are rarely used above your
cabinets, such as big wooden salad bowls, or other decorative items. You can also put decorative storage bins above the cabinets if the items you would like to store are not particularly attractive on their own. Don't be afraid to try a few different ideas and see what you like!

Let the light in. If you don’t already have windows, consider adding
windows (that go to the outside) or a pass-through window, or both! While
adding windows does require a bit more renovation and is an added expense, if
it is doable, it can be very worth it in the end!

Runner. Laying down a runner is a great way to add comfort and color to your galley kitchen. There are beautiful indoor/outdoor rug options available on the
market today that are water resistant and perfect for high-use kitchen areas.
There are other rug options as well that are machine washable and easy to
clean so you don’t have to worry about spilling on your kitchen rug (because let’s
face it – it’s bound to happen)!

Natural appearance.Pine develops a nice, rustic patina from
age and use.

Moisture resistant.Pine resists shrinking and swelling.

Cons:

Dents easily. Because pine is a softwood, it is prone to
scratches and dents.

Choose in person. Because the surface of pine cabinets can have many knots, itis recommended to choose pine cabinets in person.

Hickory

Hickory, also known as “Pecan,” is a member of the walnut family.
It is grown in the eastern U.S. and is the hardest, heaviest, and strongest
American wood species. Hickory has a unique appearance with intense color variation from near white to dark brown often in the same board.

Pros:

Strength and hardness.Hickory is tougher and stronger than maple
and oak.

Unique appearance. Hickory's eye-catching appearance is sure to make any kitchen look attractive and customized.

Alder, sometimes called “poor man’s cherry,” has light red tones, a soft grain pattern, and offers an appearance similar to that of cherry.

Pros:

Cost.Alder is less expensive than cherry and
provides a similar aesthetic appearance.

Darkens less over time.Alder does not darken as much as cherry
over time.

Con:

Softer than cherry.Alder is not as hard as cherry. If something a little more dent resistant is preferred, opt for cherry. If the
possibility of denting is less of a concern, then alder is a great, cost-effective option.

Summing up.

While there are a variety of cabinet wood types to choose from, and each one has its own list of pros and cons, the main differences between cabinet wood types are price and aesthetic appearance. The primary question to ask yourself is,"what do you think looks best?" What will make you fall in love with your space and breathe a sigh of relief when you walk into your kitchen, bathroom, or other room in your home?I hope this was helpful and aided your investigation into finding the right cabinets for your home! Stay tuned for next month's blog post where we'll talk about the
differences in aesthetic appearance between cabinet wood types. We might even include tips on how to pair cabinets with granite counter tops!Until next time!

P.S.

If there's something you'd like to see us cover in a future blog post, please leave a comment with your request below!

Sunday, June 25, 2017

First, let me introduce myself. My name is Pearl, and I'm the new sales assistant at Kitchen Concepts!

Let's get down business - or should I say cabinets! As a new sales assistant at Kitchen Concepts, I have been researching cabinetry so that I can be more helpful to customers when they walk through the door. I thought I'd share what I've learned so far, so in this post I will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of maple, cherry, and oak cabinets.

Maple

Maple is a hardwood with a fine,
uniform grain pattern. It is a light-colored wood and is often stained or
glazed and sealed with a light finish to bring out its natural color and cream-like textural appearance.

Pros:

Versatile.
Maple is great for both traditional and contemporary designs. It takes both
light and dark stains well.

Durable. Maple
is one of the strongest, hardest wood types, making it an ideal choice for
high-use areas such as kitchens and bathrooms.

Affordable.
Maple is more expensive than oak, but less expensive than other wood-types.

Cons:

Price. Maple is more expensive than some types of wood, such as oak and pine.

Design Tip:Maple
can be stained to mimic a pricier wood such as cherry or mahogany.

Cherry

Cherry has a pinkish-brown hue
and a soft, elegant grain pattern. It is one of the most highly sought-after wood
types in North America by both consumers and manufacturers because of its
beautiful appearance and exceptional durability.

Pros:

Durable. Cherry
is one of the hardest wood-types. It is very durable and resistant to decay. It
is an ideal wood for high-use areas, such as kitchens and bathrooms.

Polishes
well. Cherry sands to an almost glass-like smoothness, making it exceptionally beautiful when finished.

Natural aesthetic. Even unstained, cherry has a rich, beautiful color.

Cons:

Price. Cherry
is one of the most expensive types of wood.

Oak

Oak is known for being very
hard, heavy, and strong. Its grain characteristics include knots, wormholes,
and random varying patterns. Its texture is coarse, and its porous surface
takes stains well. Oak is both affordable and durable, which makes it a practical
choice for any homeowner.

Pros:

Durable. Oak
is often cut in a way that makes it resistant to warping.

Lightweight.
Oak is lighter than other types of wood.

Affordable.
Oak is less expensive than maple or cherry, and is still attractive and
durable.

Stains
well. Red oak cabinets stain evenly.

Cons:

Distinctive grain. Oak has a distinctive grain pattern that may not appeal to all buyers. Also, stain can overly darken and exaggerate the grain and end up looking two-toned.

Mineral deposits. Streaks of yellow, green, or even black can appear in oak cabinetry due to mineral deposits in
the wood.

I hope you found this post helpful and that it answered your maple, cherry, and oak cabinetry questions! Keep an eye out for next month's post where I'll continue to discuss the pros and cons of other less popular cabinet wood types including pine, hickory, and alder!

If you have any questions in the mean time, do not hesitate to contact Kitchen Concepts or stop by our showroom. Contact information can be found on the homepage of our website.

Sunday, May 7, 2017

While white and wood remain the most popular choices for kitchen cabinets, gray has been becoming more and more popular in 2017. This new neutral provides a sleek sophisticated alternative for modern homes. When paired with white or black countertops, gray cabinetry provides an understated backdrop that allows accent colors to really pop. Because gray is a neutral shade, it compliments all hues and pairs well with almost every color, and every wood tone.﻿

Sunday, February 5, 2017

Are your feet cold always cold? Mine are! How amazing would it be to walk around your house during the winter in socks or barefooted and have your floors be warm? Let's talk about that.

What is radiant heat?

Radiant Heat:Radiant heating systems supply heat directly to the floor or to panels in the wall or ceiling of a house. The systems depend largely on radiant heat transfer -- the delivery of heat directly from the hot surface to the people and objects in the room via infrared radiation. Radiant heating is the effect you feel when you can feel the warmth of a hot stovetop element from across the room. When radiant heating is located in the floor, it is often called radiant floor heating or simply floor heating. Electric in-floor heating systems generate an even heat throughout your home and will not disturb dust, reducing the chance of possible allergic reactions. What's more, radiant heated floors reduce noise levels and the amount of dry air in your home. There are other benefits to floor heating as well, including financial perks, as they are inexpensive to install and typically don't add more than a quarter to electric bills.

(www.energy.gov/energysaver/radiant-heating)(www.warmlyyours.com/en-US/floor-heating)Cost for Radiant heat:Electric radiant floor heating costs about $5 to $7 per square foot for the materials or $8 to $12 or more per square foot with professional installation. $6 to $16 a square foot for a professionally installed hydronic radiant floor heating system

RADIANT FLOOR HEAT

There are three types of radiant floor heat:

1. Radiant air floors (air is the heat-carrying medium)

2. Electric radiant floors

3. Hot water (hydronic) radiant floors.

TYPES OF RADIANT FLOOR HEAT

AIR-HEATED RADIANT FLOORS

Air cannot hold large amounts of heat, so radiant air floors are not cost-effective in residential applications, and are seldom installed. Although they can be combined with solar air heating systems, those systems suffer from the obvious drawback of only producing heat in the daytime, when heating loads are generally lower. The inefficiency of trying to heat a home with a conventional furnace by pumping air through the floors at night outweighs the benefits of using solar heat during the day. Although some early solar air heating systems used rocks as a heat-storage medium, this approach is not recommended (see solar air heating systems).

ELECTRIC RADIANT FLOORS

Electric radiant floors typically consist of electric cables built into the floor. Systems that feature mats of electrically conductive plastic mounted on the subfloor below a floor covering such as tile are also available.

Because of the relatively high cost of electricity, electric radiant floors are usually only cost-effective if they include a significant thermal mass such as a thick concrete floor and your electric utility company offers time-of-use rates. Time-of-use rates allow you to "charge" the concrete floor with heat during off-peak hours (approximately 9 p.m. to 6 a.m.). If the floor's thermal mass is large enough, the heat stored in it will keep the house comfortable for eight to ten hours without any further electrical input, particularly when daytime temperatures are significantly warmer than nighttime temperatures. This saves a considerable number of energy dollars compared to heating at peak electric rates during the day.

Electric radiant floors may also make sense for home additions if it would be impractical to extend the heating system into the new space. However, homeowners should examine other options, such as mini-split heat pumps, which operate more efficiently and have the added advantage of providing cooling.

HYDRONIC RADIANT FLOORS

Hydronic (liquid) systems are the most popular and cost-effective radiant heating systems for heating-dominated climates. Hydronic radiant floor systems pump heated water from a boiler through tubing laid in a pattern under the floor. In some systems, controlling the flow of hot water through each tubing loop by using zoning valves or pumps and thermostats regulates room temperatures. The cost of installing a hydronic radiant floor varies by location and depends on the size of the home, the type of installation, the floor covering, remoteness of the site, and the cost of labor.

(www.energy.gov/energysaver/radiant-heating)
Now you can decide if radiant heat is the right thing for your house. Keep your feet warm in the winter.